I have at least to issues with your article: Would you please be so kind Mr. Bozkir to explain to the readers how much the proclaimed "freedom of expression" is worth in a society when a your own leader, Mr. Erdogan can say "Freedom of expression is important, but more important is what is holy for me", and goes on to demonstrate his seriousness on the matter by persecuting individuals who he perceives to offend him?

Secondly, you highlight the economic progress Turkey has made during the years of APK's leadership and while it is undoubtedly true that Turkey is far better of than it was, the current economic situation, with steeply increasing deficits and declining currency, does not exacly make Turkey a poster case for economic stability. Furthermore you must not forget the issue, which most concerns citizens and politicians in the EU: The continued gradual Islamisation of your country, turning it further and further away from any cultural parity with Europe. The fact that Turkey is currently on better footing that its failed neighbours to its west is hardly sufficiently reassuring also when we see how your country reacts to a democracy like Israel while allowing IS fighters to cross into Syria.

No sir, you have not convinced this citizen, that it would be in my nor in the EU's best interest to formally allow your country a say in that organisation.

Sultan Erdogan will now transform AKP rule by instituting a Presidential system and, may be, defy the constitution. He's trying to re-activate de Gaulle's France! His concept of democracy is in the process of polarizing the electorate, if not already done. What remains is Kurdistan State - if he'll accommodate its leader - in island prison - and allow for a peaceful transformation.
EU is not just a (social) economic union but a value system based on common democratic destination. Turkey under the Sultan will most likely not qualify to join EU any time soon.

The fact of the matter is that nobody in Europa wants to have TUrkey in the EU. The bahavior in Cyprus and against Israel, the re-islamization, supression of Christian Religion are the best arguments to keep Turkey out out of the doors

Erdogan is dragging Turkey back into Islam. I do not believe any of the hogwash about the increase in middle class, increase in jobs and all of the other glittering stats. There is no Islamic country that has these kind of stats. Perhaps when Islam conquers Europe, if this comes about, who cares if Turkey joins the EU. As long as Europe is still a part of western civilization-no Turkey.

Volkan Bozkir is beating the drum for Turkey's EU membership bid, in an effort to kickstart the accession talks, which started almost a decade ago, but had been stalled. In recent years the interference of the Turkish government with the judiciary and restrictions on press etc had raised concerns in Europe, as any backtracking on human rights or democracy would delay the negotiations. Yet Brussels had urged member states to resume the long-stalled accession talks with Turkey, hoping this would boost the prospects for democratic reforms. There are fears that Turkey might take an authoritarian lurch under Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Bozkir points out how Turkey had in the last ten years under the ruling party AKP been transformed into an economic powerhouse in the region, lifting millions out of poverty! Now in time of political turmoil across the Muslim world, Europe should need Turkey more than ever. As an "an island of peace, democracy, security, and stability", Turkey may serve as a bufferzone between the Middle East and Europe.
Despite the effort of "striking the right balance between freedom and security", Bozkir says Turkey does try "to consolidate its democracy through the expansion of civil rights and liberties", and it has "adopted more than 2,000 pieces of legislation to reach EU standards". It's true that Turkey had made sufficient progress to begin membership talks. Turkey is a signatory of the European Convention on Human Rights, and in the past it used to top the list with one of the highest numbers of filed cases.
Yet tie between Brussels and Ankara have frayed in recent years, due to Erdogan's crackdown on antigovernment protesters and efforts to head off a major corruption probe. There's doubt about the independence and impartiality of the judiciary and there isn't sufficient parliamentary scrutiny of the government. Many journalists and human rights activists are still in jail. Yet Bozkir claims some of them face "a variety of criminal charges, including murder with a firearm, bank robbery, and the bombing of police stations". Really?
It's true that "a few European governments are, for their own domestic political reasons, blocking the negotiations unilaterally". Indeed politicians in Germany and the Netherlands, have long been wary of allowing Turkey into the bloc, fearing the cultural and political differences may be too vast. They might even adopt a permanent mechanism that would prevent large inflows of Turkish workers into the EU.

First, Mr Bozkir added very valuable information and details especially about Turkish media. Media in Turkey is very different in reality, in contrast to misleading information on international media. In economic and political sense, Turkey's accession is now more important and will be definitely more beneficial for the EU, as we are now experiencing Turkey's economic growth (5th in OECD) and its humanitarian involving in regional issues, such as "open door policy" towards Syrian refugees.

Thanks, but no thanks. The EU is not just some economic entity, where as long as you cover certain economic and financial KPI’s you receive automatic acceptance. The EU is also based on common understanding as to how a society should function and be governed, and this where the rift opens. Just two days ago the dependent judiciary arbitrarily banned all social web sites, and this is something fundamentally opposed to the European view as to how such issues can be managed. This is only one of the many signs pointing to the fact that despite all its claims Turkey is not yet the liberal democracy it claims to be.

The western press seems to think you block a lot of websites. Censorship is censorship and you are doing it. In light of this I would block your accession talks too, as I would not want any countries with such practices to join something like the EU.

By taking in a large number of new members during the past 10 years Europe has already 'bitten off more than it can chew'. The issues with the €-currency come on top of that. Just looking at the map easily explains that pacifying and integrating the Balkan countries, coincidentally including Greece, comes long before anything from further east. Economic issues are important, but they are only a small part of all relevant issues. A liberal democracy based on the rule of law is far more demanding on the political and legal culture than most people, including politicians, scholars of legal and political science, and the general public easily recognizes. Even the present conflict of the EU with Greece is 2/3 cultural and only 1/3 economic-financial. And this after more than 30 years of full membership of Greece in the EU and the predecessor organization. Last but not least, there is no public support in any member country for the continuation of the accession negotiations with Turkey. The desires of Brussels-based eurocrats to keep themselves busy with something is irrelevant,and, geopolitical considerations that have long supported a Turkish accession have been wrong-headed all along. Turkey has a long and proud history and tradition, that give it great potential as part of the Moslem Middle-East and Central Asia, but Turkey is not Europe

As a Turkish citizen İ am reading this article which claims that there is freedom of speech in Turkey, and on the other tab of my browser i am trying to enter youtube, blogger and some other social networking websites to understaand whether they are free to browse or not today.

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